Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Award will help spread the ideology of Bangabandhu globally with further internationalisation of his work, life and achievements. "Bangladesh and Bangabandhu are one and unique which was reflected in the name of the award. This award will play a role in branding Bangladesh and boosting its image globally," he told reporters at his office. The UNESCO Executive Board unanimously adopted a proposal for the establishment of UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize in the field of the creative economy. It will reward global initiatives of youth in the field of creative economy. The proposal was adopted at the plenary of the virtual segment of the 210th Executive Board, according to UNESCO. The decision came as Bangladesh is celebrating the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through yearlong programmes. The 210th Session of the UNESCO Executive Board is being held in two segments. The first segment was held from December 2-11 virtually.   Dr Momen said for the first time any UN agency introduced an international award in the name of Bangabandhu. "We all are very proud of it." He said the UNESCO having 193 member States finds culture as the powerful element in building peace and harmony in which Bangabandhu believed. The document containing the decision has been uploaded on UNESCO website for the Executive Board, Dr Momen said. Having unflinching faith in the power of culture to build and sustain peace and social cohesion, Bangladesh tabled a proposal to institute a prize titled “UNESCO Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize" for the Creative Economy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and it was sent to UNESCO through Bangladesh Mission in Paris upon approval from the Prime Minister in August 2019, Dr Momen said. The award will be given every two years and the prize money will be US$ 50,000. It will be given in November next year at the 41st General Conference of UNESCO for the first time, he said. Through introducing this award in Mujib Borsho, the UNESCO directly joined the celebrations of birth centenary of Bangladesh’s founding father. In 2017, the UNESCO enlisted Bangabandhu's March 7 speech in "Memory of the World".  In 1999, UNESCO honoured Bangladesh by declaring February 21 as International Mother Language Day. Dr Momen said UNESCO introduced international awards in the name of 23 famous individuals and institutions and this is for the first time that it introduced such award for a Bangladeshi and widely respected personality. On behalf of Bangladesh, Ambassador of Bangladesh to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Kazi Imtiaz Hossain conveyed deep appreciation to members of the Board who have conveyed their support to the proposal. Bangladesh says it is strongly committed to multilateralism and believes, through building and harnessing partnership and working in concert, they can successfully overcome present and future challenges, no matter how daunting they may be. Despite many challenges, the Board finally agreed to adopt all decisions taken during this segment, and not wait till the completion of the second segment to adopt all decisions as a whole.    The second and the final segment of the Session will be held 'in presentia' mode from January 20-27 next year.   Earlier, Bangladesh's proposal was considered and approved by the Joint Meeting of the Programme and External Relations Commission and the Finance and Administrative Commission on December 9. The Joint Commission recommended the adoption of the decision at the plenary which was done on December 11. The Executive Board recognised the potential of the creative sector to provide young people with economically and environmentally sustainable jobs, in line with the UNESCO Operational Strategy on Youth 2014-2021. It also recognised the necessity to encourage women in the creative economy, in line with UNESCO’s global priority gender equality. The UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy will create a knowledge-sharing mechanism by capturing, celebrating and communicating best practice in the development of creative entrepreneurship, according to UNESCO document. The objectives of the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy are in line with strategic objective 8 of UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2014-2021 and with the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. The historic March 7 speech of Bangabandhu was inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2017, and in 2019, UNESCO’s General Conference, at its 40th session, decided that UNESCO will be associated with the birth centenary celebrations of Bangabandhu in 2020-2021. The Prize reflects Bangabandhu’s early work as a youth change-maker and his belief in gender and social equity and youth empowerment. The Prize will be fully managed and administered by UNESCO Source: UNB AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon the new generation to build themselves as worthy citizens by following Bangabandhu’s ideology, saying that the people of the country will stay awake with his ideology and uphold the flag given by him forever. “You (father) are lying near the lap of your parents under the green-covered ground in Tungipara. Father, sleep in peace … your Bangladesh is marching towards advancement at an indomitable pace and will go ahead further,” she said in her nationwide address on Tuesday on the occasion of the inauguration of the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The premier added: “The people of the country and the generation after generation will stay up bearing your ideals in the hearts in your dreamt Sonar Bangladesh … the flag given by you will fly forever.” In this connection, Sheikh Hasina quoted a famous song of Kabiguru Rabindranath Tagore. “Tomar pataka jare dao (those whom you give your flag), tare bohibare dao shakti (give him strength to bear it). Tomar sebar mahot proas sohibare dao bhakoti (give devotion to have patience for the noble initiative of service).” The premier reiterated her firm commitment to build ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Bangabandhu. “Father, it’s our pledge to you that we must build ‘Sonar Bangla’ as you dreamt and those days are not far away,” she said. The speech of the Prime Minister was aired simultaneously by all electronic media, including Bangladesh Television (BTV), Bangladesh Betar, online and social media. Sheikh Hasina said today Bangladesh has taken a prestigious position around the world. “We’ve to advance further by building a hunger-and-poverty-free developed and prosperous Bangladesh as dreamt by the Father of the Nation,” she said. The Prime Minister called upon the children, juveniles and youth-folk to love the country and its people and build themselves as good citizens being imbued with the ideology of the Father of the Nation. “It’s my appeal to today’s children, juveniles and youths to love the country and its people as we earned independence at a cost of a huge sacrifice,” she said. Sheikh Hasina went on saying: “You’ve to love the people in the way the Father of the Nation did it … you’ve to build yourselves as worthy citizens so that as an independent nation, you can move on the world stage by holding your head high.” The Prime Minister said brutal bullets of killers took away the life of the Father of the Nation and they (killers) tried to wipe out his name from the history of Bangladesh, but they could not succeed. “The murderers could not realize that from the stairs of Road No. 32 residence, Bangabandhu’s blood spread across the country by giving birth to crores of Mujib,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said the people of Bangladesh have awakened in the quest of the truth. “The history and the truth cannot be suppressed by the falsehood,” she said. The Prime Minister said the birthday of Bangabandhu is not being celebrated only in Bangladesh, it is also being observed across the globe. “The whole world came to know Bangabandhu by dint of his sacrifice,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said today is March 17 and on this day in 1920, a great man was born in this Bangla and “he is my father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.” The Prime Minister said Bangabandhu gifted this state named Bangladesh and gave Bangalees the status of self-identity as a nation. “That’s why he is our Father of the Nation,” she said. Sheikh Hasina said sacrificing all happiness and amusement, Bangabandhu had struggled, and suffered jail time and again in his entire life aiming to free the distressed people from the vicious circle of hunger and poverty. “The plight of people had hurt him and he didn’t hesitate to do any sacrifice to establish the rights of underprivileged people. He had become the dearest to the people of this land and that’s why he is Bangabandhu,” she said. The Prime Minister said since his childhood, the Father of the Nation used to be saddened seeing the sufferings of the people. She said Bangabandhu had distributed his personal belongings like clothes, books and umbrellas among the poor. “Even he (Bangabandhu) had shared his meals with others and during the famine, he distributed ‘his stored paddy’ among the poor people … he had felt happy by doing something for the people,” she said. The Prime Minister said the Father of the Nation had no personal expectation in his life. “He wanted to ensure a developed and beautiful life for the country’s people. That’s why his sacrifice did not go in vain,” she said. At the outset of her speech, Sheikh Hasina extended heartfelt greetings of Mujib Year on her own behalf as well as her sister Sheikh Rehana to all Bangladesh nationals at home and aboard along with the world community. Beginning today, she said, the ‘Mujib Year’ will be observed till March 26 in 2021, and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence will be celebrated in 2021. The premier said not only in Bangladesh, different friendly countries and international organizations like Unesco and OIC have also become partners of Mujib Year celebration. “I express gratitude and gratefulness to all of them,” she said. Sheikh Hasina also expressed her gratitude to the Almighty Allah for giving the opportunity to celebrate Mujib Year. “This is a big achievement in our life, which cannot be explained in language. I deeply express my gratefulness to the countrymen – those who gave us the scope to celebrate the Mujib Year by bestowing the responsibility upon my party – Bangladesh Awami League – to run the country for the third consecutive term,” she said. Sheikh Hasina expressed her thanks to all, who gave their hard labors to make successful the celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation. The Prime Minister mentioned some changes have been brought in the inaugural ceremony due to worldwide coronavirus outbreak. “But we’ll celebrate Mujib Year throughout the year through various programs,” she said. For the same reason, Sheikh Hasina said, visits of foreign guests have been postponed. She, however, said King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, President of Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen and several other foreign leaders extended greetings by sending video messages. “I’m personally and on behalf of the people of Bangladesh extending thanks and gratitude to them,” she said. In her speech, the premier also recalled with profound respect four national leaders and martyrs of the liberation war and also expressed deep sympathy to repressed mothers and sisters and war-wounded freedom fighters. Source: BSS AH

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday asked Awami League leaders and activists to follow Bangabandhu's ideology properly to build a developed and prosperous Bangladesh free of hunger and poverty. "We're working tirelessly so that the grassroots and rural people get the benefits of our achievements," she said. Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, said this while addressing a joint meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee and the Advisory Council at her residence at Tungipara in Gopalganj. The Prime Minister said the main goal of the government is to change the luck of the countrymen. "Every leader and worker of the party will have to move with the ideology of the Father of the Nation. We'll build a hunger and poverty free Sonar Bangla as dreamt by Bangabandhu," she said. In this connection, she mentioned that Bangladesh has already attained high growth rate and has a strong economy. "...We'll continue our drives against terrorism, militancy and corruption," she said. Sheikh Hasina said the party has been in power for three consecutive terms after the 2008 election. It was in office from 1996 to 2001. "As a result, the country's progress is visible and the people's fate is being changed," she said. The Prime Minister said the government has drawn up elaborate programs to celebrate 'Mujib Barsho' nationally. "Besides, other organizations and institutions will celebrate Bangabandhu's birth centenary in a befitting manner," she said. Sheikh Hasina said the name of the Father of the Nation was once wiped out by assassinating him on August 15, 1975. "But today none could erase his name because he struggled and suffered throughout his life for the people of the country," she said. She said Bangladesh won independence through 24 years of struggle and earned its victory in the Liberation War under the leadership of the Father of the Nation. The Prime Minister said over 82 percent people lived under the poverty level when Bangabandhu liberated the country. "But our Awami League government has been able to bring down the (poverty) rate to 20.5 percent," she said. She said the Father of the Nation liberated the country to change the lot of the exploited and deprived people and he also started the work to this end. "But we're unfortunate that Bangladesh was deviated from that ideology and spirit after the brutal killing of Bangabandhu," she said. The Prime Minister said the country started its journey towards development again when the Awami League government assumed office after 21 years. "It has been possible as we're following the ideology of the Father of the Nation," she said. Source: UNB AH

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said, Jamaat is preparing with old ideology under new cover. Jamaat is trying to come into politics after changing its name. He said these while answering questions to the newsmen at a view exchange meeting with party leaders and activists and eminent persons at his PTI road residence in Kushtia on Friday. Hanif said, after taking stance against the liberation war Jamaat committed different crimes including genocide after being united with Pakistani forces. After the trial many of their leaders were awarded death penalty. They should have sought apology earlier for their stance against the liberation war. For not doing this they have lost the moral rights of doing politics. When asked about stance of former president Ziaur Rahman he said, Ziaur Rahman did not declare the independence of Bangladesh, before him three persons also declared independence of Bangladesh on behalf of Bangabandhu. Ziaur Rahman never believed in spirit of liberation war. He acted as a Pakistani agent during liberation war. There are many proofs in this regard. AH

President Mohammad Abdul Hamid said the new generation will contribute to rebuild an exploitation-free and non- communal society being imbued with the patriotism and ideology of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.  "Nazrul was not merely a national poet of Bengal, he was a poet of reawakening and equality . . . He was strongly vocal against exploitation, deprivation, repression, superstition and subjection," the President said while inaugurating the three-day national level program at Trishal in Mymensingh on Friday marking the 119th birth anniversary of Nazrul. Reports BSS.  The President expressed hope that the new generation would get inspiration to be enlightened themselves from the quenchless flame lit by Poet Nazrul for changing the society and contribute to rebuild a "Sonar Bangla"  Paying rich tribute to the memories of the national poet, President Hamid said Nazrul was born at Churulia village in West Bengal, but he spent most important time of his life at Darirampur village of Trishal here since 1914.  As poet of equality, the President said, Nazrul played immense role in reawakening Bangalies, raising voice for Independence, speaking against fanaticism and communalism through his talents, rich and valuable literary works, lectures, philosophy of his life and spreading human values. Nazrul visited different areas of east, north and south parts of Bangladesh several times and exchanged views with people of the then backward remote areas and created awareness of equity and patriotism.  "His literary works also inspired our Bangali people against the exploitation and deprivation of the then Pakistani ruler. Nazrul's patriotic and enthusiastic songs, poems helped gear up our movement during the Liberation War," Abdul Hamid, a war veteran, observed. Calling Nazrul a poet of inspiration for the Bengali nation, the President said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought the poet along with his family members to the soil of Bangladesh showing due respect to him in 1972. Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu, Additional Secretary of the ministry M Mosiur Rahman and Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh district Dr Suvash Chandra Biswas, also spoke.  Simeen Hussain (Rimi), MP, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the Cultural Affairs Ministry, presided over the program, followed by a cultural function. Meanwhile, a series of programs, including colorful rally, discussion and cultural function were taken marking the birth anniversary of the national rebel poet. Beginning at Darirampur Nazrul Mancha on May 25, the program jointly arranged by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Mymensingh district administration will end on May 27. AH